German chemical giant Bayer CropScience said it regrets the decision by the Dusselfdorf Regional Court to revoke an injunction previously imposed against the German branch of Friends of the Earth.
In a ruling yesterday, Bayer CropScience lost its attempt to prevent German Friends of the Earth, the Association for the Environment and Natural Germany (Bund), from making claims that the neonicotinoid thiacloprid used in Bayer's products is harmful to bees.

The dispute centred around claims by Bund in a German publication that two pesticides produced by Bayer - Calypso and Lizetan Ornamental Plant Spray - that contain the active ingredient thiacloprid were harmful to bee populations.

Bayer hit back at the claims, stating that use by amateur gardeners in the UK meant that the risk of bees coming into contact with the chemicals is "negligible".

However, the court ruled in Bund's favour yesterday. Bayer responded today saying: "Even though the court once pointed out that the Bayer products had officially been classified as 'not harmful for bees' and were labelled as such in accordance with binding legal regulations, the court considered the allegations of Bund to be a free expression of opinion, which deserved special protection. Bayer CropScience will wait for the written grounds for the judgement."

The German company added: "[We] had filed the injunction with the argument that the Bund publications on the Bayer Garden products Calypso and Lizetan Ornamental Plant Spray are incorrect. Both products have been thoroughly tested both by Bayer and by the state regulatory authority, the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BL), underwent an in-depth evaluation and, as a consequence, were classified as not harmful for bees."